Australia UAE Business Council appoints Fiona Websdane to Advisory Board
The Australia UAE Business Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Fiona Websdane to its Advisory Board, further strengthening the Council’s capability to support and advance bilateral trade and investment between Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
Ms Websdane currently serves as EMEA Enterprise Client Programme Lead and UAE Commercial Advisory Lead at GHD Global, a multidisciplinary professional services firm delivering integrated advisory, engineering, environmental and construction solutions.
She brings over two decades of experience across international relations, economic policy and strategic business leadership. Prior to joining GHD, Ms Websdane held senior roles at the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including as Australia’s trade representative to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris.
Ms Websdane has played an active role in strengthening bilateral ties between Australia and the UAE, including contributing to the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and supporting industry collaboration through Council initiatives.
The Hon Christopher Pyne, the Council’s Australia Co-Chair, welcomed the appointment: “Fiona brings deep experience across government and industry, as well as a strong understanding of the Australia-UAE relationship. Her insight will be a valuable addition to the Council as we continue to support our members in navigating new opportunities under CEPA.”
His Excellency Hareb Al Mheiri, UAE Co-Chair of the Council, also welcomed Ms Websdane to the Advisory Board: “Fiona’s international experience and practical knowledge of bilateral engagement will support the Council’s mission to deepen economic cooperation between our two countries. We look forward to her contribution.”
Ms Websdane said she was pleased to join the Advisory Board at a time of growing momentum in the bilateral relationship: “I am delighted to join the Australia UAE Business Council Advisory Board and to contribute to strengthening the commercial and strategic partnership between Australia and the UAE.”
The Council’s Advisory Board plays a key role in guiding the Council’s strategic direction and supporting engagement across government and industry stakeholders in both markets.
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Ms Fiona Websdane
Fiona Websdane currently serves as the EMEA Enterprise Client Programme Lead and the UAE Commercial Advisory Lead for GHD Global – a multidisciplinary professional services firm offering integrated client solutions across advisory, engineering, environment architecture, and construction expertise to create lasting community benefit. Founded in 1928 in Melbourne, Australia, GHD Global is currently celebrating its 25th year in the United Arab Emirates.
Fiona brings a wealth of expertise in international relations, economic development, and strategic business leadership.
Prior to her role at GHD, Fiona was a Director at the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with over 20 years of experience in economic, foreign and development policy, including as Australia’s trade representative to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France (2017-2020).
Fiona has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to strengthening the Australia-UAE relationship. She is actively involved in operationalizing the Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and was instrumental in leading the AUSUAE Business Council’s 2025 CEPA Connect event, which enhanced industry collaboration and identified bilateral trade and investment opportunities.
Fiona has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Queensland, Australia, a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment, Securities Institute of Australia and is a Graduate of the University of Melbourne MBS Leadership Program.